


I'm here.

by Kamikaze_187



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Blindness, Engineer is not ok, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Healing fluff, M/M, engineer needs a hug, soldier will do anything for engineer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:27:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27595486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamikaze_187/pseuds/Kamikaze_187
Summary: Due to an accident, or coincidence, dell has to go through a problem that he never though would happen to him ever, and he isn't unable to face it alone or even bear.What is he going to do if he is aware of what is going to happen to him if he shares the news of what is happening to him?He is really scared.
Relationships: Engineer/Soldier (Team Fortress 2)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	I'm here.

**Author's Note:**

> This story was requested by one friend of mine. It's turns quite a bit more than I expected to be at the beginning but i kinda like it how's it now.
> 
> It's start sad but it's gets better soon i promise.

It was a normal day like any other, an battle was going on in the battlefield like always. RED was making their last push really hard and BLU is having an really bad time.

Dell was defending the last point as hard as he can, it looks like it was going to be a really tough day today, and especially for himself. Explosions were heard in the distance not too far from here, to were his actual position is, He can guess that everyone are trying so hard to getting back the last point they had lost a minute ago.

He just only hope that darn spy don't show his face again and tried to take down his nest once again. 

He hadn't had the slightest rest since the battle began long ago now, his own legs were beginning to ache and burn from running so much from point B to A more than once. he felt really tired and needed to rest a little.

Once he managed to assemble a third sentry at level 3. Dell thought it would be a good idea to sit down for a while, for at least a few seconds. He took off his protective goggles and rub his finger around his tired eyelids, he could imagine that he has dark circles with him right now.

He gets into a state of pure alert the second he heard demonic laughter coming from very close. they could not be the pyro from his own team, no, after all he saw the poor fella die recently and he also knows very well the time interval for they to respawn. The sentry's warning beeps and the barrels shot and tried worthless to take down that uber pyro combo that crossed the corner.

Dell didn't have time to do something or even take his rescue ranger from the ground, it was too late and it was very dangerous to go and repair or at least pack up the sentry before it was destroyed into debris. He made a tactical retreat while the enemy team took the defenseless point. Where are the rest of his team to help him defend? He don't know.

He thought he would be safe but he had the bad luck of misstep over a stone that was on his way, and he had the most bad luck for not seeing that sniper who aimed an arrow with his huntsman at him.

That arrow that went straight to his face, pierced his skull and sent him to the ground, did he don't feel it at all before everything turns dark in front of his eyes.

victory for the RED's was already more than assured at this point and sadly they lost this match.

One by one of the members of the BLU team was materialized in the respawn room and They did only what they could do in this moment. insult and blame each other until they drop the slightest trail of anger that they could hold until now and left that room to go somewhere else or to their own rooms to feel even more miserable for their lost.

Soldier was given them his odd chat about fails and wars but he stopped suddenly just in the frame of the door, he seems to be the only one who realized, or who only care, that there was still someone in the respawn room without moving a single finger or saying anything.

Dell stood there, paralyzed with the eyes wide open, in place waving his hands in front of himself a few times as he walked in circles and stumbled more than once with any object that was in the floor.

soldier looked at him with a confused face at this strange behavior that one of his soldiers presented. It looked kind of funny but he knew something was wrong since he knows very well that engie doesn't usually act very stupid out of nowhere unless he was drunk.

soldier approached the other person from behind, "attention!"

Dell get, with the guard down, startle really bad. he didn't know that there was still someone around.

Soldier arched an eyebrow at that last act of him, "What's wrong with you? Why are you acting so strange?" soldier asks in a fairly firm voice folding his arms in front of the smaller man.

"ah ... nothing, I'm fine don't worry." He assured with a friendly smile. but the soldier was not convinced by only that. for some reason the engineer was not looking at him as he always does when he talks to him, this time he was looking at the ground.

"You okay private?" He tried to hide some concern. 

"Yeah. yeah, I'm fine ... err ... just a bit tired, that's all. I'm going to my room so I can rest a bit. See ya tomorrow sal."

Dell did his best to pretend that there was nothing wrong with him. which was not the case, he did not know what was happening to him. but for some reason, from one moment to another, after having respawned his vision became somewhat blurred and he could not distinguish objects in the distance.

Luckily he knew every corner of the base like the palm of his hand as well and know where each room is located and therefore he also knew which way he should take to get to his own bedroom. the only thing he hopes is that he does not bump into anyone on his way.

Soldier had not been satisfied with the answer that had been given a moment ago. He felt that something was wrong, he didn't know exactly what was happening and that was what bothered him most, that and also that others around him are lying right to his face.

He follow the engineer through his way to the quarters and he notice something very suspicious for him, he bumps with every object on his way and said objects were easy avoidable but for some reason he don't avoid them.

Dell close himself in his room and walk slowly to his bed, in the floor he previously has leave enough junk, that he just has forget that he leaves them there, to stumble with them one than more time through his way. Once finally reach the bed he sits on the side of this and try to calmly think about his problem. 

He hate to admit it but he knows that he is in quite a big problem, with his vision like this it is almost impossible to do something. And he is afraid to went to the medic and that he told him that this is not going to go away soon or later, that it is not something temporary but rather permanent. 

Dell was afraid.

Maybe this is the first time that he was afraid in his whole life.

What if what is happening to him now is permanent and he's blind or something? He doesn't want to be blind. He has so many plans to complete, to fulfill in the future... his future.

After he finished with this work and end his own contract with Mann.co, he had planned to retire and spend the rest of his days with a calm and normal life, visiting places that he always want to see with his own eyes, see and know what still unknown for him, see everything what will happen afterwards ... see ....... see.

Dell can't hold back a small tear that falls from his cheek at the thought of all those plans that are going to will be thrown away if he ever get blind.

... but what is the case to keep thinking about that.

Maybe he's just exaggerating things a bit and everything 'll just be as good as new in the morning and this will become another episode of mistakes that we could laugh another day when we tell them another day. 

He lay in his bed and pray that this end for him tomorrow. 

The next day he get out of bed, slowly open his own eyes to see that everything was fine as new... But everything was the same as the previous day for him.

At first he thought that maybe he was still sleeping and he hit his face a little to wake up from the sleep and get out from this nightmare. But no matter all his efforts or how hard he tried, everything looked the same as the night before, just as blurry and maybe even worse. now he Almost can't distinguishes the wall clarity, just his hands in front of himself and some items not too far away.

"This can't be happening to me ... not now."

the sound of someone knocking on the door get him on alert.

He thought that the best strategy he had was not to say anything, so maybe the other person at the other side of the door thinks that he is not there and goes somewhere else.

"Private!"

But unfortunately the one on the other side was nobody but soldier and he know how soldier is quite persistent.

"Engie! I know you're in there! It's exactly 0650 hours and you're already late for breakfast!"

He has to do something, otherwise soldier is capable of knocking down his door and the last thing he needs at this point is for someone to find him in his current situation. "No thanks soldier, I'm not hungry at the moment." There. With that, soldier will surely leave him alone.

"Fine. But hungry or not you're going to have to get out of there, you want it or not."

"why was that."

"You have to prepare for war, soldier, today we have 2fort so you better have those sentry's of yours shine and ready to fight."

He stands away from the bed and stand up "what ... but today we're supposed to have a day off."

"Miss Pauling called this morning, looks like there will be a battle today too."

"No..." his own legs seem to be failing to him now so they forced him to his knees. He can't go out now, much less on the battlefield. How is he supposed to face the enemy when now he is unable to take two simple steps without tripping with something? "what I'm going to do?"

The megaphones count down the beginning of the round and the others members of the team get ready for action, heavy take his gun, sasha, and smile when thinking of how many babies he will kill today. Medic Was behind him building uber for later. Scout was jogging in place, ready to run right to the enemy intel before anyone. Sniper pack on his razorback just in case. Demoman reload his granade launcher ready to explode someone apart. Spy prepared his knife, revolver and clock before the round begins and pyro hold high his rainblower and lollipop making some weird noises. 

And when the siren make the match begins, they ran towards where the action is. 

Dell remained standing in the resupply room for a few seconds, much longer than were necessary, he had to make sure that there was no one around before start moving, it was very difficult to get to the respawn room without raising any suspicions.

He packed up his buildings and began to move once he was very sure that there was no one around.

Today they have 2fort luckily. A not very wide and symmetrical map that anyone could memorize with just exploring it once, he thought in advance of a simple plan to be able to move forward without anyone suspecting his problem.

He's just will going to stay all day defending the intel room until the day is over. the only thing he hopes is that his own teammates don't let too many enemy's pass in the intel room because otherwise a problem will start.

An plan so simple, right? 

Well, not really. summing a very long day ... it was a complete disaster.

BLU team did not work together today, enemies did not stop arriving and attacking the base, nobody did anything right, that damn spy kept appearing out of nowhere to destroy his entire nest of buildings and play with the poor engineer and there were only two people who defended. Him and soldier who was passing around and was helping him with the problems of spy's from time to time

It was just a complete mess.

When the battle was over and they were all sent to respawn with another humiliating defeat.

The mercenaries unleashed their fury with the poor engineer who did nothing but make many mistakes and did not defend properly today.

Soldier was the only one who was defending him from his own teammates, standing in front of him. Dell doesn't know why he is defending him in that way, receiving the insults for him like a kind of human shield while contradicting them, while he remains silent while receiving this wave of well-deserved insults, after all he knows How incompetent he was today.

One by one of the mercenaries disappeared from the respawn room until only the two of them were left alone. Him and soldier

Soldier was taking deep breaths to try to calm his nerves which did not work since during the battle he witnessed several events that bothered him more than necessary.

"Engie." he slowly turns around right to the man who was sunk in his chair and was doing nothing but looking at the floor, Soldier clutched his hands into fists and tries to hold himself as hard as possible, "I'm going to ask you one simple question, and you're going to answer it." he says in a rather dangerous tone of voice while clenching his fists even more than dark bruises former in his own palm, "What happened out there?"

Dell couldn't take his eyes off the ground, if what he was seeing was the ground of course, his knuckles were shaking with fear as he let his hands rest on his knees while a huge weight accumulated on his shoulders. He knew that he has the hell itself in front of himself.

"Respond now maggot!"

He gulped an thick brick, "I'm fine, nothing's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong ... nothing's wrong! Having a spy in front of your nose and let him do whatever he wants... is that for you 'nothing's wrong'?! Why are you acting that way! What are you hiding?! What are you hiding to the team!? Answer. now!"

"I'm not hiding anything-" And before he could say anything else to defend himself, he was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and was lifted from the chair that fell backwards to the floor. he was shaking as hell.

"Open your fucking ears and Listen to me very well, maggot. First, look at me right in the eyes when you talk to me. Second, if there's something I hate most are liars, I hate them much more than traitors. Do I have to keep calling you my team mate? My partner? Huh? Answer me now you-"

What the soldier witnessed before his eyes was something he never thought he would see. engineer was crying. soldier, for the first time, felt sorry for someone in his whole life.

"I can't ... tell you ... I don't want to make you worry." Dell said in a whisper. 

"Why would I worry? What are you hiding?" He at least loosened the grip on his hands and let him touch the ground.

"I can't tell you, not here."

"why not?" the tone in the soldier's voice had dropped considerably to this point, he sounded like he was concerned and angry with the engineer at the same time.

"Please ... can you take me to my room?." Dell wipe some tears from his face, honestly he doesn't want to tell his problem, even to the soldier, but what he can do know? Now that he can't hide it anymore. At least for soldier "I will tell you all you wanted to know there." He sadly said surrounded. 

"to your room?" Dell only nodded, "... fine"

Dell was taken to his room at a pace he could follow, he couldn't help but feeling a sense of imminent danger on his back, for what will happen to him now. Once they reached the engineer's room, he could feel a slight sense of relief now that they are surrounded by thick walls.

Dell kindly asked to the soldier to make sure the door is securely closed before telling him what he wants. unfortunately he can no longer hide what has been happening to him during the last hours and that has been getting worse as the day progresses. The biggest problem was that he couldn't tell anyone because otherwise he will cause a great commotion and possibly lose his job which pays very well, without counting the other benefits.

"Engie, now I'll give you 3 seconds to tell me what happens because otherwise I will-"

"I'm blind."

Those simple words were enough to make the soldier stop talking and for destroy himself for inside.

"...what?"

"what you heard soldier ... I'm blind."

"But ... how ... what happened to you? Why are you..." soldier is unable to finish that sentence.

"I don't even know ... it just happened, and I don't know what will happen to me from now on ... i could only see objects that are two centimeters from me ... I am not even able to see the wall or to know where you are standing right now." he was acting pathetic than he even wants to cry again... The sadness was visible in his face.

"you lie." the soldier clarified, "You're lying!"

"Ah. I never lie, I wouldn't lie to you either. You know that more than anyone." He cleared up sadly and with a lot of pain in his chest.

"How many fingers do you see?"

"Sal what are you-"

"answer my question!"

"I don't know ... 4?" he try to guess, but now he remembers very late that soldier can't count that far.

"wrong ... if you could see ... you would have known that I didn't raise any hands or fingers."

Dell had to admit that this was a very clever move. "you see? That proves it ... I'm becoming blind." He laughed a little at his own empty words and his own misery.

"You need to see the medic." soldier takes his arm and is about to take him to the medical room... but-

"Not!" Dell gets in the way and stop him for doing so.

"what's that?"

"I don't want to... I don't need it. I'll be fine." He assures him with a fake smile on his face.

Soldier bit his lower lip, he was getting sick with all this behavior of him, "you're going to see the medic on your own or else I'm going to take you there even if you don't want to, and you know I'm capable of doing that."

Dell gave up, he knows very well that he couldn't escape forever, "fine ... but ... could you... let me talk with him... alone?"

Time passed very slowly. Dell had been sitting on that hospital table for more than an hour, the medic had finished doing the check-up a long time ago and after that he only received a 'let me do some tests' and nothing more.

He was becoming more and more anxious as the seconds progressed, hearing footsteps going from here to there, from one side to the other, followed by a similar sound as if he were typing on a computer and the sound that a simple sheet of paper makes.

He can't stop thinking, maybe the medic is processing a way to reveal the good news to him. that his blindness is temporary and that he would not have to worry about it anymore and return to his normal life after this unnecessary consultation.

A sigh, that he even could heard, coming from the doctor pulled him out of his web of happy thoughts.

"Conagher." 

"What it is doc? Are you going to tell me that I'll fine? That I don't have to worry about it anymore? That all this is going to go away in a few days? C'mon doc, don't leave me hanging like that."

Medic said or did nothing for quite a long time.

"C'mon doc, don't leave me like that, say they are good news."

The doctor gave a rather discouraging sharp sigh, "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"What does that means?"

"ah ... it hurts me a lot to have to tell you this ... but ... your current blindness ... is not temporary ... it is rather ... permanent."

One could see the radical change in the engineer's face. "What are you saying?"

"I am afraid that the progressive blindness that you are presenting now is becoming more ... critical. You described to me that you first began to see blurry right. But now that is progressing to such an extent that within a few days you will be completely blind ... I'm sorry."

He could feel as if something inside him was breaking and just dying, like a plate falling to the ground, the feeling was so strong that it even made him want to cry, but he was making a titanic effort not to shed tears. "And isn't there anything that can be done?" he asks with a false last hope on himself.

"Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done. I would use my medigun but it will have the same effect, the medigun can only heals wounds, not these kinds of effects in the human body. there's nothing I can do. I'm so sorry."

Dell is visibly depressed even more. This was what he feared most, not getting anywhere, now he feels even more miserable than before. all his plans fell apart like a house of cards.

"... thanks for your time ... doc." He stood up again, "if you'll excuse me ... I would like to go to my bedroom ... I feel very tired." He walked really slowly towards the exit.

"Are you alright? i can accompany you to your own room if you need it."

"no ... it's okay ... I can still walk on my own." He tried to appear as natural as possible in every word that came out of his mouth ... but the reality was that he was fighting not to break right there and not get mad. He stopped in the door frame, "Doc ... could you do me a favor? Could you not tell anyone about this?"

"I am sorry my friend, but my duty is to inform our superiors about any change of status of each one of the team members. From then on I do not know what the future will hold for you. I am very sorry."

Dell looked at the ground, thinking that everything is over for him. Now he will lose his jobs, he will lose some good friends, he will lose the plans that he had planned in advance ... he will lose the opportunity he had to ... Dell stopped thinking in vain and held back tears. "Okay ... I understand ... but at least you could ... not tell the guys about this? Only tell them that i just need to do something."

"I'll see what I can do about that. Don't worry."

"...Thanks."

Medic watched how Dell walked really slow through the corridors, he looked as if something has just died inside him.

He close his eyes and took a slight breath, "Come out, I know you're there."

The same soldier emerged from behind a wall, he looked very worried as he stared into that dark corridor that the engie just took.

"I can guess you've heard everything." soldier nodded slowly, "do you want to come in, so we can discuss about it?" He nodded again and followed the doctor into his office.

Dell wasn't in his own room, No, he was now in his workshop. sitting on the edge of his workbench, he decided to stay in his workshop for the last time now that sooner or later he will be not be around anymore or even see anything to his surrounded. He remember all the memories and good times that happened between these four walls. He doesn't care in the slightest what time of night it was by now or for how long he was sitting here, if it was too late or too early that no longer matters for him anymore. Tears that he didn't mind holding back slid down from his cheeks and fell to the floor. his hands were shaking and he was unable to think calmly or properly.

Panic increase in big seizes on his mind knowing that at any moment he will be completely blind. A huge void takes hold of him, and to think that everything he has fought for and everything that he has made so far ... everything ... will just disappear just like that. There was so many things and projects that he still wanted to do and even finish but now that he can't, just because of his vision problem, he doesn't want to even touch his favorite wrench. 

He wipe some of the tears away with his hands but can't stop crying like a fool. He doesn't know for how long he has been sitting there crying.

The knocking at his door take his attention away from whatever he was on. 

"W-Who is it?" He tried his best to make his voice sound like it always did while wiping his tears hastily with the sleeves of his uniform.

"It's me, soldier! Can I come in?"

Why does soldier always have to appear in the worst moments? is what he wonders. He put on his goggles to hide the scene from before. "Sure." he answers and hears the door creak slowly opening.

"How can I help you soldier." He try to make a professional tone with a fake smile on himself.

"I just want to ... know how you are doing."

"I am fine, I just returned to see the doctor and he told me that ..." he stopped talking, he is not able to even reply what the doctor said to him, much less to right to the soldier.

"What did the doctor said to you?"

"... he told me that ... I'll be fine ... that this will only be temporary." He gulped, felling a thick heavy weight in his chest when the lie comes from nowhere. But he don't want to get others worried about is stupid problems.

"Oh ... I see."

"Y-Yeah. So you can stop worrying about it." 

Everything remains in silence, nobody said nothing to the other. Engineer gets tense through his back, thinking that maybe soldier don't buy what he just said And if he doesn't say anything soon ... things will get bad.

"are you hungry?" Soldier was the one who break the silence and make the engineer 'look up'. "I can get you something to eat. If you want."

"I... err..." he doesn't know how to respond to that sudden suggestion. He doesn't want to be too rude or something to the soldier who is acting so strangely nice right now without that harsh behavior of himself, it was strange. Maybe he wasn't the soldier to who is talking to?. "I'm ... not hungry right now, thanks anyways." Was his only answer. 

"You need to eat something." He insists, "you don't eat anything from the start of the day. also is dinner time." 

"I'm fine soldier." He show him another fake smile. "Why don't you go ahead and eat something, i will finish something here and then maybe i will go to catch some sleep. I will make you know if I'm hungry." That last sentence just escape from his mouth, he doesn't know why he told him that when he just have could said him that he could get some food himself when he wanted. 

Soldier look at the ground, "Okay." He said in a whisper and turns around, in the middle of the room, he look sideways at engie, who sitting in that breach with that smile on his face like if nothing is happening, one last time before leaving the workshop. He bite his lowew lip harder.

the smile on his face disappeared almost instantly when he heard the door close again. an internal emptiness took hold of him now that the room was empty again. He sighs, hating himself for having to lie right to the soldier like that. but he just doesn't want to worry those around him. his friends, and especially the soldier which he gained somehow his respect and he consider him is best friend so far.

Dell bit his lip to keep from crying again. He feels so damn pathetic and useless right now. Dell turned around right to the table knowing very well why he just decided to come to his workshop instead of his own room in the first place.

He simply wanted to say goodbye to all his work and construction that he himself had created and maintained all this time and that he even consider them as his own children. He would like to take all of them with him to where he is going after being fired. but unfortunately that will not be possible since his contract prohibits him from taking with him anything that was previously owned by mann.co for the safety of the company and to avoid the possibility that they will spread unnecessary secrets, And that's really unfair but he doesn't want to discuss that right now.

He takes the blueprints on the table and remembered how at the beginning he fantasies about how many achievements and project he'll be able to archive until he gets retirement from this job. And now... it was worthless to even think about it. 

He even archive something good? He doesn't care anymore. 

He takes one of his wrenchs with one hand, then proceed to touch each of one of his construction. He'll miss seeing how his sentry gun put in an scout more holes than an cheese and that same scout scream in agony for being a fool for not having seen it before. He'll miss the times that his dispensers heals the wounds of his own team mates and that them thank him for being efficient in the battlefield. He'll miss how he managed to snake an teleporter behind the enemy lines and surprise them before they could do anything and ending with an good victory for that day. 

... Heck He'll miss all of that.

He must have been sitting there for a long time because the last thing he remembers of that night of much pain and memories is having his face against the table while tears fall into his own blueprints, he doesn't remember falling deep asleep there in his workbench.

while the poor engineer slept, the soldier had entered the workshop and had been staring at him for longer than necessary. Watching how he was sleeping like that almost makes disappear the deep pain and grief he feels in his chest for the little engie at this moment.

Soldier carefully places his hand on the engineer's face, where traces of tears were present, and left it there for a moment feeling the soft skin of his.

"You don't deserve any of this. Anything. If i could have done anything to prevent that to happen i ..."

He takes away any work equipment that he is holding or is wearing and being very careful, so that he doesn't wake him up, he carries the body of the sleeping man outside the workshop. Dell is not very light but the soldier is not that weak either to carry him bridal-style to bed.

("Where am I?") he wonders internally as his own thoughts in his mind echo loudly into the nothingness in front of him. He gets tense and his breathing agitated, he doesn't know if he is asleep or not, he cannot see anything in front of him amid so much darkness that he is even unable to see his own hands. He tries to cry for help but his voice doesn't come out, as if something is preventing him from speaking. he holds his neck, he suffocates, he feels as if he cannot breathe amid so much pressure that surrounds him.

Dell's open eyes wide, fear takes over him that much that he just kicked the sheets off and fell to the ground. scared he looks around in a hurry. His vision was the same as the day before, possibly worse, but at least he can still distinguish the sunlight coming through the window, even though everything is blurred to him.

He tries as much as possible to calm down and breathe normally, breath after breath.

the sudden sound of the door startled him so bad.

"oh. you finally awake." By the thickness in the tone of voice of the person who just entered, he could deduce that it was the same soldier himself. and ... something smells really good. something sweet. He somehow could smell from an approximate distance to the soldier who has an distinguishable odor. He has a genuine smell of sweat and gunpowder that maybe is possibly due to long days of training outside with his rocket launcher. 

Before Dell could ask any questions, the soldier speaks first, "I came just to check if you were okay. And I brought some breakfast for you." Soldier give him an plate with something on it along with an fork, he help him a little so he can't drop what was on top of the plate. "I ordered pyro to make this only for you."

With a closer look, Dell could see that he was holding bacon with eggs along some orange juice. He doesn't know what to said, this was really a surprise for him. He doesn't expect or even Asked soldier to do such a thing for him, and honestly, he hadn't thought on eating anything because he was so damn sad and thoughtful during these days and the growling of his stomach forced him not to refuse this breakfast. He hadn't eaten in almost two days in a row, he was so hungry as hell. 

He ate with relish until not a single trace of food remained on his plate. while he was eating he felt an emptiness in his stomach that reminded him of how hungry he was previously.

And for the first time in a while he manages to smile, for real this time. all that time of pain and tears made him completely forget what it means to smile, and that was thanks to soldier and his unforeseen impulses.

Soldier had offered himself to go and bring more food for him, but he kindly told him that it wasn't necessary. he had made it clear to him that he could leave now but the same soldier said he wanted to stay a little longer.

"Soldier, please. I really appreciate your company but ... you must be very busy, the others, have to train for a future fight on the battlefield. In the meantime I will be here in my workshop working on something as usual, don't you worry that much."

"Ah for that last engie ... you're not in your workshop right now."

"... wait ... soldier where am I? where did you bring me?" Dell looked around in a hurry trying to see if he could at least guess where he was now. Soldier did not know how to react to the sudden actions of the engineer that caused him to be worry about him.

"You're ... you're in my room." He said finally, Dell looked at him directly... he guess. 

"Your room?" For some reason hearing that make him calm down a little, maybe it was because he was in a knowing place for him.

"Yes. I know that this could sound strange but ... i think it could be ... nice if i bring you here to my quarters, instead of yours."

He should be mad at him for bringing him right here instead of his own room, he should. But ... for some reason ... he can't be mad at him. Maybe it was because he likes this place a little and also it makes him feel safe now knowing that no one will come here Asking for him. 

"Also." Soldier interrupted his thoughts. "I went to your room and bring some clothes to you, in case you want to change those you're wearing right now." 

"...thanks. i appreciate it." Dell takes the clothes on his own hands, maybe he will consider soldier advice and change clothes since what he was wearing really smells darn bad now. 

"Ah? What's this?" Looks like Soldier found something. 

"What's wrong solly?"

"something just fell from your shirt, it looks like a picture." soldier takes it in his hands and examines it to see what it is about.

"a picture?" a picture? He doesn't remember having kept such a thing between his clothes, he wonders how it could get there. "What's in it?" He asked to the soldier directly.

"It's in black and white, but it looks like a cabin is in the background ... yes, it's definitely a cabin."

a black and white picture with a cabin... "!" He remembers now. "In the picture is an old man holding a hammer?"

soldier examines the photo again and yes, the specifications that he just described appear in the picture as well. "Yes." 

"Oh i remember that one, in that appears my old man along with our old house there in bee caves."

"Really? That's sounds good."

"It was good."

"Would you mind telling me a little more about that?" Dell is honestly surprised that he even asked that to him.

"You don't have things to do?" He thinks maybe he's being a bit rude with that last thing he just said.

He feels a huge weight next to him, soldier just took a seat "I decided that today I'm not going to do any training."

"Oh... okay." He honestly doesn't want the soldier around him due to the circumstances, but if he were to say that he didn't want to have anyone around he would probably raise some suspicions against him. so for his own safety and those around he'll have to play along.

Suddenly he hears the door open in the middle of the conversation they're having right now and he sigh in relief because he could dodge an problem. but what he didn't know was that a bigger one was about to be formed.

"Mr.Conagher, are you here?" a female voice is present.

"who is it soldier?"

"It's Miss Pauling with the medic and she seems to be looking for you."

"oh." He feels an cold chill run throughout his spine and he becomes really tense knowing very well what Miss Pauling came for and why she is looking specifically for him.

"Mr.Conagher, I've come to ask you some questions and give you a summary of what will happen due to what the doctor said to me. If you don't mind."

dell sighed in sheer sadness and agony. "I don't mind. But ... you think we can talk in private, just you and me."

"Well, if medic and soldier agree with it." she looked at the doctor who nodded directly to her. the soldier after meditating for a while also nodded without saying a word.

Soldier and medic left the room to let the engineer speak to Miss Pauling alone.

Before going to his office, the doctor wanted to make sure of something important regarding his comrade soldier.

"How are you doing my friend doe."

"I'm fine." He responds to the doctor, without taking his eyes off the door in front of him.

"Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday." soldier hesitates for a second but nods after a moment, "and you still ... do you still agree with what you said that time?"

"I already made my decision doc. No matter what happens. I will not change my mind and I will stand firm before my words." He responds in a tone more than proud.

Medic looks at the soldier carefully, then at the room where the engineer is inside, and back at the soldier. He can't help but smile as he shakes his head, "He really is someone lucky." And with that last said, he left the soldier alone, who stood guarding the door like a guarding dog.

Miss Pauling left the room after a while, she saw how soldier was standing to one side of the room and she decided that it would be a good time to discuss something very important with him. "Oh soldier, if you don't mind I would like to be able to ask you a few questions and clarify some doubts-" She stopped the moment she saw how the soldier was staring at her with a face that told her that he was possibly going to bite her. she got the message almost instantly and decided to leave the man alone, "maybe another time."

soldier stared at the door for a while, struggling with the urge to break in and ask what happened and to what they were arguing for the sake of the engie that he must be going through the worst time of his life right now .

After taking a few deep breaths to calm his cravings, he decides to enter in the room.

"Who is there?" Was with what he was received when he entered. 

"It's just me. Soldier." 

"Soldier I thought you were doing something else, why did you come here?" He tried to pretend as much as possible that he was okay with his usual accent. but the soldier was smart enough to differentiate it at the time.

"I came to ask you something."

"What is it about?"

"What did miss Pauling tell you?"

"Oh she only comes to tell me that our superiors... give me some vacations." He lies again... right to his own face and that made a harsh pain appear in his chest, "Oh... i see." 

"Y-Yeah it's nice doesn't it?" 

"It does... when?"

"Er... in three days." He gulped, thinking that maybe soldier don't buy what he just said. but then he felt some weight next to him.

"then that's mean you still have some time to be here until you go." Soldier said.

"Yes." And he responded. 

No one of them said nothing to the other and the room was filled with silence.

"So... you want to talk about something?"

"About... what?"

"About whatever... did i tell you that time when i found demo doing some weird shit-"

And so. Days pass by, until he reach his third and last day here, in the next one he'll have to pack up and leave without more. Somehow he managed to skip all the problems that were present day by day. like the one that involves his own team discovering what's happening with him including his blind situation and asking awkward questions about why he doesn't present to any reunion meaning to work or any with his own coworkers like breakfast, diner and suck by.

Soldier was kind enough to go and take some food for him and he was waiting for him ij the room until he returns with the food. He spends most of the time in Soldier's room but one day or two he stays on his own room. 

Lately he could do things that he wasn't able to do before, such as his hearing ability seems to be much better since now he is able to hear the footprints of the spy than he knows very well that the spy himself hardly does any noise when walking. He was also  
able to capture and distinguish odors from each other such as the smell of burnt gasoline that emanated from the pyro's suit from a couple of quarters away, the nauseating smell of alcohol that the Demoman brings, the dirty smell of piss from those darn glasses of the sniper. Those improved abilities of him help to know when someone approach to the room.

Dell thinks that maybe soldier doesn't know yet about his progressive blindness because he don't hear any word involved coming from him or anyone else. Maybe he don't talk with the others that much now like before, maybe that's because soldier was spending much of his time with him and keeping him some company these last days. Soldier was speaking a lot about himself, about anecdotes that occurs to him long ago and that he didn't know until know and also likes to talk about what happens sometimes in the base right to him and that he still don't know. 

When an story comes to an ends, he asked for another one and more, felling is own mood gets better with every second that he spends along with the soldier that doesn't stop telling some hilarious stories that somehow make him laugh and make him smile. Smiling feels so alien for him right now for everything that is happening around. He feels more happier when soldier was around sharing an word. Dell was kind enough to share his own name with soldier who acts a little weird when he pronounce engineer's real name since he gets used to engie for so long. It was sad that he still don't know his one but he is to kind to even ask for it. 

Even when his mood was good,  
Inside he was feeling pretty badly and was still suffering knowing that today will be the last day he will be surrounded by his coworkers and friends with whom he has battled for many years and with whom he formed bonds that he never thought to lose out of nowhere. Also today would be the last time that he'll be able to hear the voice of his soldier friend, that makes him laugh in such a way that he never thought possible, hear his stories, feel him next to him. 

He sighs. 

Night hits so soon then, dell had just finished eating the dinner soldier had brought for him that day. While he was eating the soldier was telling him a funny anecdote about what happened today in the break room which includes the Demoman, scout and heavy and involves a severed hand.

When the anecdote comes to an end and there is no food left on the plate he was holding.

the room remains in a silence more than strange. the soldier was thinking about what to say to try to cheer up the mood of the engineer sitting next to him a little who the whole time was in pure silence with his eyes down on the ground and had not said anything or asked anything.

but at this point he had already shared each one of the stories and anecdotes that he had saved with him. There was nothing left to say in this moment of silence and-

"I have to go tomorrow."

Soldier turned to Dell next to him who just broke the silence with those sudden words of his.

"Oh, right." He silently responds, "where ... do you plan to go when you leave? So i can visit you when i can."

But Dell doesn't respond, he remains silent without saying anything.

"Dell? Are you listening?" he asked him in a worried half tone.

"I'm going to miss you all ... I'm going to miss you." Dell says so quietly that the soldier can barely hear him.

"W-why are you saying that? It's not like we're going to disappear or something, right? You're just going to leave." Soldier hid as much as possible that he was calm.

"soldier?"

"yes." he responds almost instantly.

"Could you ... could you do me a favor?"

"What do you want to ... Dell?"

Dell didn't respond or say a single word, no, he acted. Using both hands, Dell places them on either side of the other person's face and feels the soldier's hard face with his bare hands. He did what he wanted to do before he left this place and before he went completely blind.

His vision was really the worst by now than he almost can't see anything or what was around him only those who are REALLY close to his face, he hate to admit it. That at this rate, probably in two more days, he willl be completely blind.

Dell closed his eyes focusing only on feeling with his own hands the face of the soldier and place their mind together, holding back tears, who did nothing about it to prevent it and he just let it happen. Dell just wanted to feel for the first and last time the face of the same soldier in his hands before it was too late, he had the need to form a mental image of the soldier so that it remains save in his memory.

After a while, With rare gentleness, the soldier takes both of the engineer's hands and moves them away from his face, Dell opens his eyes again slowly thinking that maybe what he just do was an risky move.

soldier gets up from his place suddenly "I think it's ... time to turn off the lights and go to sleep, it's getting very late and you must be tired." Soldier was about to leave, but he stopped when he heard that voice to which he could not say no even if he tried.

"Soldier wait." Soldier turns around and watched how he was making an face that was difficult to even ignore. "Could you make me another favor?" 

"...what is it?" 

"Could you... stay here? at least until I fall asleep." Dell thought maybe he went too far with that last request and regret immediately about saying it to loud.

"Okay."

but the answer that came from the same soldier made him think otherwise and he's glad that he doesn't questions why was that.

Dell settled in the middle of the bed of the same soldier who had allowed him to stay there that night, he asked him if he could left the lights on tonight without saying why and soldier only did what he asked.

Without even asking, he had taken one of the soldier's hands in his and held it close. With his other free hand the soldier stroked the back of the smaller man on his bed until he fell asleep. Dell was too tired to even notice that last.

When he was sure that, Dell had fallen asleep completely, soldier take advantage and do what he wanted to do but he didn't at the beginning because it was a dumb move. he planted a small kiss on the other's forehead and get into bed at his side and wish him good nights, although he may not have heard it.

When the first lights of day comes in through the window, soldier wakes up earlier that morning and leaves the room with only one propose on his head, bringing breakfast to Dell when he wakes up to try to cheer him up a bit.

but on the other hand, still in bed, Dell was struggling when he was asleep. but he was not dreaming of sweet angels, no, in his dream he was like he was in hell in a way he never thought possible.

In his dream, Dell did not know where he was, he was falling into nothingness itself, everything was darkness around him no matter where he looked at. He screamed and screamed for help but no one showed up to help him.

"AAAAAHH!!!"

Dell, in an jump, gets out from the bed in a hurry the same moment that he just open his eyes, startle for his dream, and everything was still dark before his eyes. He hits his own face a couple of times, thinking that he was still in that nightmare where everything was just as dark as is now. 

"C'mon Dell, wake up. Wake up!" He repeat those words once and again trying to get out of this living nightmare. 

("wake up!. wake up! WAKE UP!") All his efforts were in vain, although he hates to admit it, he wasn't in an dream anymore, he was more than awake, and just now that the darkness that surrounds him seems to become more dense with the fear that he is feeling and that also takes over him. he can't breathe, He needs air.

Without thinking he just decide to run in any direction with the desperately objective of trying to find some light, even the slightest trace.

Dell had crashed directly against the wall of the room several times trying to find a way out of that square where he is locked in. after a time he finally manages to find what appears to be a door after causing some chaos in the room.

Dell wandered through the possible corridors with false hopes of finding light. worrying and mocking voices, asking right to him what was happening, why he was acting that funny way, but he ignored them completely.

"dude what the hell? you step on me. Are you blind or something?"

("Leave me ... alone")

"ar' ya drunk Laddie? hee hee."

("Leave me alone")

"Hudda hudda huh? Mmhp!" 

("Leave me alone!") 

"Engineer is stupid."

("Leave me alone!")

"Something gets on our head, Labour?"

("Leave me alone!!")

"Hey! Watch your steps truckie."

"Leave me alone!!!"

After blindly walking through all the possible corridors. He went out through some big doors that has him in a very warm place and on his semi-bald head, on his bare feet he felt grains of sand that grew in quantity for each step he took.

Dell kept walking towards who knows where for a long time without a route in mind, he was beginning to feel very dizzy and tired from walking until he couldn't take it anymore and his legs collapsed in what seemed to be sand on his sore knees.

"please." He pleaded to the air in a whisper, "Make it stop." He wasn't religious, so he has no idea to who he's begging right now. "Please, I don't want to be like this ... I'm begging you ... I BEG YOU! I DON'T WANT TO STAY LIKE THIS ANYMORE! I'LL DO ANYTHING BUT PLEASE ... MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! ... please ... make it stop. I don't want to live anymore." He placed his face against the sand hoping that death itself would bring him out of his misery. "Please ... I'm just want to ... someone to get me out of my misery."

"DELL!!!" Suddenly a voice in the distance was calling for him, "DELL!!!"

he managed to recognize that voice, "S-Soldier."

"DELL!!!" the voice made itself heard, not far from is position, but it was moving away quickly.

his own legs acted on their own, forcing him to stand up even if he was weak and try, step by step, to go where that voice is coming from.

"soldier?"

something inside him told him that that voice would bring him security, peace, harmony and put an stop to his suffering.

"soldier."

He doesn't know where he is going and his legs are really weak, but an unknown feeling kept telling him not to give up yet, that he still had a lot to stay on.

"soldier!"

Maybe he was hallucinating again at that moment, because he would swear that he saw a ray of light reflected in the person who was calling his name, he saw light in the dark, he just saw some light in soldier.

"SOLDIER!!!"

"DELL!!!"

Dell quickens his pace and throws his form, himself, right to the man who has been calling him all this time and who also catches him in his arms. inertia forces both of them to kneel in the sand under them.

after a while they part from the hug but soldier keeps them close enough to yell straight in the other's face.

"You damn maggot! Why did you have to run like that? Why did you have to leave the base and go straight into the desert? Why did you have to-" soldier stopped screaming when he saw how in the eyes of Dell was falling tears, he was crying.

"Soldier ... i couldn't take it anymore." the same soldier decided to give the smaller man his due space, but kept a close distance from him.

"I lied to you." He couldn't hold the truth anymore, if he kept hiding the truth for one more second he was going to get mad, crazy.

"I lied to you about everything I said. I lied about miss Pauling showing up the other day to tell me they had given me vacations. I lie about my afterwards, lied about having somewhere to go. and lied about my blindness problem that was supposed to getting better ... but ... I can't see anything. soldier ... I'm completely blind now. I can't see anything, I can't see you. I don't know where I am, I don't know where I'm going, everything is very dark around me ... I'm scared soldier."

"you are scared?"

Dell nodded. "I'm scared of the dark soldier. I always have been. And now everything is really dark for me and I can't do anything about it or make it to stop."

Soldier didn't say or do anything while the man in front of him unloaded all his fears and sorrows in front of him like that.

"Everything is a lie. i don't have an afterwards when i just ended with this job, I've just been fired, I've nowhere to go now because I do not have a place to return to as I had told you. I lied to you all this time because I didn't want you to worry in vain. I was trying to appear that all was fine because i didn't want you to get worry about me, a good-for-nothing useless person as I am now that I am unable to see anything at all. I don't want you to feel sorry for someone like me." Dell kept crying as if he no longer cared. Now that his whole world fell apart, he feel like HE was falling apart.

"I already knew it" the engineer stopped his wailing. Did the soldier just said that he know it all this time? Why he didn't say something all this time that they were together chatting as if nothing had happened? ... or when he was confessing. why didn't he say anything?

"why?" He whisper.

"because I understand you." was his only answer. But before Dell could say anything else, the soldier continued, "I understood why you decided to lie to me like that, even though I knew it from the beginning. I understood how difficult it is for you to walk away from everything that makes you what you are and be yourself, get away from everything that characterizes you and for everything you've fought for. be pulled apart just for an injustice that you don't deserve. I understood it, I understood you. That was why I made a decision ... I will follow you wherever you go, i decided to be by your side."

Dell does not know what to say, all this have him speechless. "why?" was the only thing able to formulate with his lips.

"Because you don't deserve any of this, you don't deserve to suffer like that alone. And I'm going to make sure with my own hands that you don't suffer anymore because of what is happening to you."

"Soldier ... don't be a fool ... it's not worth it. You don't have to sacrifice everything just for a worthless old sack of meat like me."

"I've decided Dell, and what you say will not change my mind. If you are fired, I will get fired as well. If you have to leave, I will leave with you. If you don't have a home, i will help you find one. If you are completely blind and you are not able to see anything, I'll be your eyes. if are afraid of the dark, i will help you face your own fears. I won't let you face this alone, Dell, I'll always be there to help you and-"

"You're a fool! Don't say that! What makes you say such things so sud-"

Soldier suddenly kiss him... he ... kiss him.

When they finally part, Dell remains stunned right there, don't believing what just happened between them. 

"I decide what i want to do with my life, maggot, and what i want to do with it is to help yours. No matter what you do or said. I've already decided that." 

Without noticing, more tears formed in his own eyes. "I care about you Dell, more than you even know."

"...you lie."

"I never lie, at least not now."

"You lie ... lie! LIE!" he can't hold back an sob, "what makes you lie like that? I don't understand ... why do you have to say that ... right now... right now? you had all the time in the world to tell me that ... why now when this happen to me? When i was unable to see your face when you said me that?" He was no longer able to contain the pain that he had resented inside him. soldier placed the suffering man in his arms, in a hug, trying to make the smaller man stop suffering. Put him safe

"...why." he keep crying without control like everything what he was holding back just exploded now. 

"Everything is gonna be alright." He said and close his arms more tighter around him, "i promise."

Maybe it was the heat of the desert, or the unbelievable of the moment or maybe he doesn't know at all what is happening with him right now.

but he can't stop the tears from coming out of his eyes and that also increase, but for some reason he wasn't sad now. So why is he crying if he is not sad?. his own arms seem to respond by themselves because what they do is to clench themselves around the man who is holding his round form tightly as if he was afraid that he could possibly disappear if he even let him go for just a few second and ... he believes. 

For some reason that Dell couldn't put into words ... he believes in what the soldier said and promise right to him ... he feels like if that was just what he needed in those moments. Like if it was something he was missing ... something that give him hope. an helping hand that comes to his rescue. Another person who understand him and also will help him that well.

"Everything will be fine." Soldier whispers right to his ear, "i promise."

(few years later.)

It's a new day.

The sun was bringing high in the sky above that quiet cabin in the middle of nowhere. the sound of some birds made was heard in the garden, along with the frenetic barks coming from sparky towards the birds that fly around. Next to the sofa was the radio that announced the most relevant news of the day with the weather report and some odd music. 

Dell was sitting in the middle of the brown sofa that brought back many memories of many years that had passed away.

He was waiting for lunch while he played with his hands and with what he imagines would be a piece of paper from a possible newspaper that was by, rolling it up and throwing it in some direction and to wherever that paper bun went to stop.

A small smile forms on his face when he hears curses coming from the kitchen next to a blow that received some object. After some commotion, then he heard footsteps approaching to his position.

"Better prepared your tongue, because lunch is finally done."

Dell smile, "I really appreciate the trouble, jane." He smiles softly at the man who stop in front of him.

"I hope you like it Dell. Now, open up." He command and Dell gladly open his mouth to let him put some food on it. 

What was inside is mouth taste salty, he don't taste the sweetness that was planned for the beginning. "It tastes awful." He admits after swallowing the food. Dell didn't have to be a complete genius to know what he just said made the poor jane discouraged and very disappointed of himself for not being able to prepare the lunch that should be after three failed attempts.

"but." Dell continues, placing a hand on the other man's shoulder and smiling right to him, "It doesn't taste as bad as last time, you're getting a lot better at this." that was what he needed to hear to get that smile again.

Dell allowed the man to continue feeding him whatever he was eating at the time. And yes, it wasn't the best thing in the world, but it didn't taste so bad either. 

It was strange to be fed by another grown man like him, but he had gotten used to the feeling a long time ago. He always feels a certain degree of security whenever he has Jane by his side.

He is relieved that they are living together now and that they found their home and that he help him move forward with his blindness problem. Including is trauma, his fear to darkness.

Jane was kind enough to take care of most of the chores around the house so that he can live comfortably the rest of his days, even though he keeps repeating to the man that he is not a decrepit old man and that he can still do things on his own. But, still, from the bottom of his heart he is deeply grateful for all this. although sometimes he forget to say it out loud.

Jane has evolved as a person, he no longer seemed to be the same person he used to be in those days when they had to fight in an endless war day after day and it was almost unrecognizable of how much he had changed, of course he still had that typical characteristics that still he kept with him but that's the least of it. He learned to read perfectly because he wanted to read him the newspaper every week along with the odd book that both of them, in the end of the night, they found interesting and could enjoy together.

He also has raised with his own hands a guide dog for him so that they could go out for a walk when they want.

In addition, he was in charge of a chicken farm that he also has even named each one of them.

Also his intelligence has increased considerably, enough at least.

And apparently he had learned to cook on his own. He wasn't the best cook in the world but at least he can keep them both fed. Not to mention the times he tries to "improvise" to make something delicious that somehow ended surprising him.

he even helps him try to overcome his trauma. Sure, the fear is still there but no matter what happens. He is always there for him.

whenever they both are in bed and are about to sleep. He always holds the others hand gently or puts him in a hug to let him know that he is with him, that he is not alone. that he is here with him. And that works in making him sleep soundly, but sometimes he has nightmares that seem very real and that's what scare him more than once.

Dell sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night very scared, crying and screaming, and since everything is still dark for him, even when he wakes up, and since he cannot do anything about it to make that darkness go away, he panics to a certain point that he feels suffocated by an invisible wall of pressure on himself.

Jane wakes up startle for the commotion at the other side of the bed and he react much faster than he thought. He places the scared little man in a strong hug and whispers words of help so that the man knows that he is not alone in the room, making his presence known by his side as much as possible and to make him calm down for once and for all and stop screaming. This method always works by putting the poor Dell in a submissive state in the middle of the arms of the stronger man who holds him firmly. After that previous commotion is over, Jane carefully lulls the poor man and hums a soothing little song, which Dell likes and which he had memorized, and doesn't stop until the man stops shaking and feels better.

Dell can't put into words how grateful he is to this man here who did nothing but help him all this time.

He thought being completely blind was going to be a complete nightmare but now ... now that he has Jane by his side who helped him to move on with his life ... now it's not that bad. 

it was almost unimaginable how much jane had tried all this time only for him ... only for him.

Still ...

Still he wants to be part of all that, do something useful and be together with Jane and both do things together and not just be a simple sack of useless meat that sits on that sofa and do nothing more than heard the radio.

He would've liked to helped him more so that he could learn to read correctly.

He would like to be able to be there every time he is cooking something and not just give a few words of encouragement like "be careful to not burn anything."

He would like to see Jane mess around with the chickens and then end up cleaning up a mess and laugh with him.

He would like to see the furry face of his dog and see how happy he gets when they given him a steak and not just feel it with his hands.

... He would like to see jane's face again ... see how his beard grow and not only feel it with his hands ... see his eyes just for a moment, even for a few seconds. He wish and pray every night to be able to see jane again, for real and not only in his own dreams. 

Dell swallow the last trail of food that jane put on his mouth. Jane takes the dirty shores to the kitchen, and when he returns with Dell, He saw how the man was with his head pointing towards the ground while some tears formed in his eyes that fell down from his cheeks directly to the ground.

Jane is very aware of these emotional collapses that the poor Dell suffers. Yes, these are not very frequent but they happened enough to make him establish a protocol that he must follow each time this situation happens.

He takes a tissue that he keeps in his pocket and gets closer to the man and carefully wipe away those tears from his face. then he places both hands on his shoulders and brings his own lips closer to place a kiss on his nose, then on one of his cheeks on the other lips and finally on his forehead.

then he takes both of Dell's hands in his and places them over his own face so Dell could feel him. And finally, he clash their foreheads so that the other knows that they will always be together, that he always will be with him, by his side, and that he will never disappear from his life as he fears sometimes. and to make sure of what he says, he always makes sure to whisper the same reassuring words that Dell himself already knows but them always make him happy and glad to hear them again and again.

"I'm here. I'll never leave. I'm here."

"I know." he whisper back in the middle of a sob that he doesn't bother to contain because he is never sad every time he hears those same words coming from the other who will always be by his side. just as he promised. 

"I always knew."

The end.

.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it.
> 
> Chao.


End file.
